Astro Foundation asks Riverbank for corporate sponsorship as rescue costs rise

Riverbank — Jaydeen Vicente, founder and president of the Astro Foundation Pet Rescue, told the City Council the nonprofit has rescued about 10,000 animals over roughly 10 years and that approximately 40% of that work involved animals from Riverbank. Vicente described current operations (a small adoption center in Downtown Oakdale, foster care, veterinary care, vaccination and microchipping programs) and said the group is asking the city to consider a corporate sponsorship for 2025.

Astro Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that runs an adoption center at 157 North Fifth Avenue in Oakdale, operates a thrift shop that helps underwrite operations and has three full‑time staff plus about 50 volunteers. Vicente said Astro rescued roughly 741 animals placed in homes in 2023, spayed/neutered more than 541 animals in 2023, administered over 800 microchips and 2,000 vaccinations, and that operating expenses climbed from about $425,000 in 2023 to a projection of more than $500,000 for 2024.

Vicente described current projects including a community cat trap‑neuter‑release program, a newly funded pet food pantry to help keep pets in homes, and plans to relocate the adoption center to a larger facility that could host an on‑site surgery suite for volunteer veterinarians. She outlined volunteer and donation needs, recurring giving options and corporate sponsorship tiers starting at $1,000 per year.

Council members did not pose further questions during the presentation. The Astro Foundation thanked the council and left the request on the table for staff and council consideration.